Iver-Ash 12 (Ivermectin) 12 mg, 100 tablets: profile, composition and research

Reference page for Iver-Ash 12 (Ivermectin) 12 mg, 100 tablets. Active substance: Ивермектин / Ivermectin.

Key facts

What ivermectin is

Iver-Ash 12 is a tablet form of ivermectin, an active substance of the avermectin class. It is a naturally derived compound produced on the basis of the soil organism Streptomyces avermitilis. Each tablet contains 12 mg, and a pack holds 100 tablets.

Ivermectin acts on a broad range of parasites, above all roundworms and arthropods. In medicine it is used on prescription for certain parasitic infections. It is not an antimicrobial: it is not designed to act on bacteria or viruses.

The 12 mg strength is intended for adults whose body-weight-based dose matches this figure. The pack size suits long-term use, but the decision that treatment is needed rests with a physician alone.

How it works

Chloride channels

Ivermectin binds to glutamate-gated chloride channels found in the nerve and muscle tissue of invertebrates. Binding opens the channel and increases the entry of chloride ions into the cell.

What happens to the parasite

An excess of chloride lowers the excitability of nerve and muscle cells. The parasite develops muscle paralysis, loses the ability to hold on and feed, and is then killed or cleared from the body.

Selectivity in people

In humans the corresponding channels are built differently and lie behind the blood-brain barrier, so at therapeutic doses the substance acts on the parasite selectively.

Elimination

Ivermectin binds to blood proteins to a large extent, is transformed in the liver and is eliminated mainly in the stool. This is taken into account when liver function is impaired.

Approved uses

The prescribing information describes use in strongyloidiasis caused by Strongyloides stercoralis, in onchocerciasis, known as river blindness, and in scabies. In some settings this concerns mass campaigns in regions where these diseases are widespread.

A separate direction is the control of parasites in people with a weakened immune system, where an incomplete course leads to relapse. Repeat doses and the intervals between them are set by a physician.

The medicine is dispensed on prescription. The schedule, the dose and the number of repeat doses are set by a doctor according to body weight and the clinical picture; they must not be changed on one's own.

This reference page does not replace a consultation with a specialist and contains no individual recommendations on use. The full list of indications and limits is given in the product leaflet.

What the research shows

Direct comparative trials have been accumulated in strongyloidiasis. In a randomised study ivermectin was compared with thiabendazole, and a Cochrane systematic review pooled data on ivermectin, albendazole and thiabendazole.

For scabies there is a cluster randomised study in which mass administration of oral ivermectin reduced how common the disease was in a closed community.

Some of the work concerns onchocerciasis and mass-treatment programmes. It is worth noting that data quality differs between infections, and for a number of uses convincing large studies are scarce.

Published research

Primary sources, verified against PubMed:

• Randomized clinical trial on ivermectin versus thiabendazole for the treatment of strongyloidiasis., PubMed 21814588 (PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2011).
• Ivermectin versus albendazole or thiabendazole for Strongyloides stercoralis infection., PubMed 26778150 (The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2016).
• Control of scabies in a tribal community using mass screening and treatment with oral ivermectin -A cluster randomized controlled trial in Gadchiroli, India., PubMed 33861741 (PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2021).
• Ivermectin: a mini-review., PubMed 35225114 (Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2022).

Listed for reference. Publication of a study is not a claim about this particular product.

Precautions

• This is a prescription medicine. Prescribing, dosing and monitoring belong to a physician.
• It is not used in case of hypersensitivity to ivermectin or the other tablet ingredients.
• Limits for children, pregnancy and breastfeeding are set by the doctor before treatment begins.
• Tell your doctor about liver or kidney disease and about every medicine you take, including anticoagulants.
• Do not use veterinary ivermectin products in humans.
• If marked or persistent unwanted reactions occur, contact a doctor.
• Store in the original pack, protected from light and moisture, out of the reach of children.

Frequently asked